Page 41 - BusinessWest September 30, 2024

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE>>
The African Hall Committee
of the Springfield Museums announced the recipients of the prestigious Ubora Award and Ahadi Youth Award, which were presented at a ceremony at the Museums on Sept. 21. Rosemary Tracy Woods, executive director of Art for the Soul Gallery, is this year’s Ubora Award recipi- ent, and Jackson Counsel- Watkins, a 2024 graduate of Central High School who is now a freshman at UMass Amherst, was chosen for the Ahadi
Youth Award. Woods is known throughout New England as a
passionate advocate for social justice. In her role at Art for the Soul, she has championed the transfor- mative power of artistic expression, particularly for African-American and Latinx communities, Native American artists, and those with disabilities like the visually and hearing impaired. Beyond exhibitions, Woods collaborates extensively with local and state cultural councils, cementing her role as a catalyst for arts advocacy. Her accolades, including being appointed by then-Gov. Deval Patrick as Advocate for the Arts in Western Massachusetts and presti- gious awards like the 2021 Newell Flather Award and the 2024 Pan African Historical Museum Legacy Award, underscore her impact. She was appointed the Western Mass. coordinator for the creative economy with the assistance of the Springfield City Council, and also aided Anita Walker, former execu- tive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, in establishing the first cultural district in Western Mass. Counsel-Watkins. An outstanding student with a GPA of 4.0, Counsel-Watkins pursued a rigor- ous course load in high school, including multiple AP classes. She was also a member of the track and field team and the cheerleading squad. She also co- founded Central High School’s Black Student Union and served as its first president. In this role, she fostered an environment of inclusivity and empow- erment for her peers. She was a two-year member of the Hampden County district attorney’s Youth Advisory Board, teen president of the Western Mass. chapter of Jack and Jill of America, and a member of the National Honor Society. At UMass Amherst, Jackson plans to major in speech, language, and hearing sciences with the goal of becoming a speech-language pathologist.
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The Advertising Club of West- ern Massachusetts’ trustees of the Order of William Pynchon announced the selection of three local residents as this year’s Pynchon Medal recipients: Anthony Gulluni, Jeffrey Sat- tler, and Kevin Vann. Gulluni
is now serving his third term as Hampden County district attor- ney. He has promoted a vision of safer communities through community outreach, crime prevention, and education — as well as through the smart prose- cution of violent offenders. Fur- thermore, he has shown com-
mitment to compassionate and effective rehabilita- tion. Gulluni’s notable accomplishments include spearheading the Emerging Adult Court of Hope, a one-of-a-kind program in Massachusetts designed for criminal defendants ages 18 to 24. Instead of
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incarceration, the court pro- vides intensive support and programming focused on the participants’ physical and mental health, behavior patterns, hous- ing, and other factors, and ulti- mately develops a pathway for careers through education and job training. He also developed
a cold-case unit, the first in the Commonwealth to use cutting-edge technology like DNA phenotyp- ing and forensic investigative genetic genealogy to assist law enforcement in generating leads and nar- rowing down suspect lists. Inspired by his humble beginnings, Sattler has spent his lifetime dedicated to service over self. After putting himself through school to earn a bachelor’s degree from Springfield College, he went on to found a bank in Springfield. When he was 18 years old, he became a third- degree member of the Knights of Columbus Coun- cil; 47 years later, he is still a member. Throughout Sattler’s professional life, public service has been a mainstay. A partial list of organizations for whom he has volunteered and supported includes the Western Massachusetts Boy Scouts of America, the Chicopee Rotary Club, Springfield Technical Com- munity College, the Chicopee Boys and Girls Club, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the American Cancer Society. For each organization he serves, he has shown heart and commitment, with particular passion in fighting the impact of cancer in his com- munity. When the American Cancer Society’s 2021 fundraiser was canceled due to COVID, he was instrumental in launching the Men in Pink event in its stead. A native of Springfield and a lifelong resi- dent of the Pioneer Valley, Vann has made serving his community a lifetime commitment, particularly for those who can’t help themselves. The many organizations to which he has dedicated his time and resources reflect a strong affinity for support- ing the youth of our region. His involvement with the Chicopee Boys and Girls Club spans decades and includes multiple capital campaigns, includ- ing chairing its current campaign to build a new teen center. Vann’s service has included, but is not limited to, the Chicopee Boys and Girls Club, the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, the United Way of Pioneer Valley, the St. Christopher’s Capital Endowment Fund, the Ameri- can Cancer Society, the National Conference on Community and Justice, and the NFIB Governors Guardian Council. In addition to his nonprofit and charitable activities, he has been a life mentor and coach to countless young people.
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Andrew Loin has joined Bulkley Richardson as an
associate in the Real Estate department. Loin gradu- ated from Western New England University School of Law, summa cum laude, in 2024, where he was the editor in chief of the Western New England
Law Review, a member of the Environmental Law Moot Court Team, and an Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Scholar. He was also awarded the CATIC Foun- dation Award for Achievement in Real Property Coursework. Loin was a summer associate at Bulk- ley Richardson in 2023. He completed internships with Green Miles Lipton and the Hampden Probate and Family Court. He also participated in Western New England’s real-estate practicum, where he was placed with CATIC and a local residential real-estate attorney’s office.
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Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) announced
two new hires: Allison Gaynor, administrative assistant, and Jalaysia Isaac, Audit and Account-
ing associate. Gaynor comes to MBK with more than 30 years
of experience in the adminis- trative world. Her role at the firm is vital to ensuring smooth workflow, and her approach tactic to customer service is to always offer a helping hand and a warm smile. She is not limited only to her administrative roles, but has a creative world outside work life. She is the founder of the Jammie Jingle drive and has established roots in the com- munity for the past 10 years, collecting pajamas for children and adults and donating them
in time for the holiday season. She flourishes in community involvement and is excited to take part in the community-service branch at MBK. Isaac brings her fresh perspective to her engagements as a recent college graduate and believes that cus- tomer service starts with listening to the client and their needs. She received her bachelor’s degree in accounting and management from Elms College. She is also a member of CPAmerica and the Mas- sachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. She is eager to continue growing as an accountant to best help her team and clients succeed.
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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed Rachel
Knauerhase as an associate in the Business depart- ment. In 2024, Knauerhase graduated magna cum laude from Western New England University School of Law, where she concentrated her studies on transactional law and served as senior articles edi- tor of the Law Review. She was an Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Scholar and CALI award recipient. She graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in business & finance. Prior to joining Bulkley Richardson, Knauerhase was a legal intern at the Massachusetts Attorney Gen- eral’s Office and summer law clerk at a boutique litigation firm in Connecticut.
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Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced the recent addition of two new employ- ees at the firm. Noel Aguilar has joined Dietz in the role of project manager. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture from the Univer- sity of Texas at Arlington. He has worked for architecture firms in Texas, most recently in design and construction for retail-store development. He also has many years of experience working
on the construction side of
the industry. Aguilar special- izes in design for medical office and industrial buildings and
also has a particular interest in the hospitality sec- tor. Shreya Sanghvi has joined Dietz in the role of architectural associate. She recently completed her master’s degree in architecture and urban design at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), where she completed her thesis focusing on design strategies to overcome the disconnection of a complex Brazil- ian neighborhood while also creating a sustainable environment. She also holds a bachelor’a degree
in architecture from the Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture for Women in Pune, India. Sanghvi has experience working as a architectural
KEVIN VANN
ROSEMARYTRACYWOODS
ALLISON GAYNOR
JALAYSIA ISAAC
JACKSONCOUNSEL-WATKINS
NOEL AGUILAR
ANTHONY GULLUNI
SHREYA SANGHVI
JEFFREY SATTLER
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SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 41